The purpose of Jewish Lifecycles Unlimited is to provide lifecycle services to those members of the Northern new England Jewish community who are not affiliated with a synagogue.
Jewish and Interfaith Weddings are performed by a seminary-trained, ordained Cantor. Interfaith weddings, Jewish marriage, lifecycle services, baby naming, and other lifecycle services are officiated by ordained Cantor who is wedding officiant. The Cantor serves Northern New England, including New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Maine. Have your wedding officiated by an ordained, experienced member of the clergy. Call Jewish Lifecycles Unlimited today!
The services offered are:
1. Baby naming/Brit Milah/Brit ha Bat
2. Bar/Bat Mitzvah tutoring/Hebrew school
3. Adult education courses
4. Weddings
5. Funerals and Memorial Services
About Cantor Claire G. Metzger
Cantor Claire G. Metzger, is a graduate of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion-School of Sacred Music in New York. Cantor Metzger received a Bachelor´s Degree in Education in 1988, and her Master´s of Sacred Music Degree and ordination as Cantor in 1994.
She has prepared hundreds of students for Bar/Bat Mitzvah, has been teaching for over ten years, and has performed numerous other lifecycle events such as weddings, funerals, and memorial services.Please note that there are many individuals here in "cyber space" who profess to be cantors, and are simply temple singers who are justices of the peace. Have your wedding officiated by a member of the Jewish clergy. See Jewish Lifecycles Unlimited when you are ready to make your wedding plans!
Cantor Metzger would be happy to discuss and help you plan your life cycle event. Please schedule an appointment with her by calling: Jewish Lifecycles Unlimited, (603) 224-9060, 5 Belaview Drive, Bow, NH 03304
fax: (603) 224-2869
or e-mail: Cantorcm@aol.com
Copyright © 1998 by JEWISH-LIFECYCLES.COM. All rights reserved.
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Baby naming
Brit Milah/Brit ha Bat
“God created the human being in His own image...male and female He created them. And God blessed them” --- Genesis 1:27-28 
Judaism has always regarded children as a blessing from God and the procreation of children as a mitzvah. Jews have seen their children as evidence of their love and as assurance of the continued existence of the Jewish people.
Every child born of Jewish parents is a part of the Jewish community, and the community shares the responsibility of raising the child. As such, there are no greater communal joys than the “brit” (covenant) and baby-naming, for every Jewish child bears the seed of Jewish survival.
The ancient tradition prescribes the method by which a male child is brought into the covenant, as read in the Torah. “Every male among you shall be circumcised” (Gen. 17:9-10). Children are also given Hebrew names at this time.
Female children can be brought into the covenant at the same time as males, through ritual prayers. Some Rabbis and Cantors also include washing of the baby´s hands and feet as part of this ritual.
Brit Milah/Baby naming and Brit Bat can be performed either in the hospital or home.
Bar/Bat Mitzvah training
Hebrew Education
It is a mitzvah (commandment) to be called to the reading of the Torah and to recite the appropriate blessings. This is called an aliyah (going up), and takes place for the first time when a child reaches the age of thirteen and thus becomes a Bar Mitzvah or a Bat Mitzvah (son or daughter of the commandment).
The Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony is a meaningful and traditional way to mark the beginning of puberty and the accomplishment of a degree of Hebrew proficiency.
This accomplishment is demonstrated by the child reading or chanting from the Torah scroll, chanting the Haftarah portion (reading from the book of Prophets), and leading the congregation in worship through prayer and song. The child also demonstrates his/her understanding of the ceremony through a “drash” or sermon telling the congregation about the Torah portion of the day, and why it is relevant.
Bar/Bat Mitzvah is in no way the conclusion of a child´s Jewish education. In fact, it demonstrates the child´s role as a part of the Jewish community, and the responsibility that child now has as a part of the community.
Cantor Metzger prepares children directly for Bar/Bat Mitzvah, by providing Hebrew and Judaica training.
Jewish Lifecycles Unlimited also has a Kosher Sefer Torah, and has also acquired a portable Ark, so we now can offer private Bar/Bat Mitzvah services in your home, or in a restaurant or hall. We have also acquired enough prayerbooks for a medium-sized B'nai Mitzvah service.
In addition to preparing students for Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Cantor Metzger also provides religious training to children and adults alike. Please call her to schedule an appointment.
Adult education
Hebrew studies do not stop after Bar/Bat Mitzvah or confirmation, but continue throughout a person´s entire life. As such, Jewish Lifecycles Unlimited is proud to offer a variety of adult education courses.
Some of the courses offered are:
- Hebrew
- Bible studies
- Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation
- Comparative religions
- Introduction to Judaism
These classes are offered either to individuals privately, or in small classes. Some of the classes, such as Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah preparation, and Introduction to Judaism, however, are most effective in group situations. We would be pleased to offer classes to groups in your area, and will do our best to satisfy your thirst for Jewish knowledge. Please call Jewish Lifecycles Unlimited to find out where and when classes are offered near you.
If you have any suggestions about classes of Jewish interest which you would like, please let our office know. We would be happy to try to accommodate your needs.
Weddings
It is a mitzvah for a Jew to marry and to live together with his/her spouse in a manner worthy of the traditional Hebrew designation for marriage, Kiddushin -- set apart for each other in a sanctified relationship. In Judaism, the decision to marry implies a willingness to enter wholeheartedly into a sacred covenant with another person.
The couple should call Cantor Metzger before any definite plans are made and arrange a meeting in order to discuss the ceremony and the meaning of marriage in the Jewish tradition, as well as the date and place for the ceremony.
The wedding may take place in the synagogue, home, hotel, or even under the open sky, as long as the wedding is held in an atmosphere of “kedusha” (holiness). The ceremony itself, includes declarations made to each other by the bride and groom, the sharing of wine, the giving or exchanging of rings, and the recital of traditional blessings. The ceremony also usually includes the “chupah” (wedding canopy), breaking of the glass, and reading of the ketubah (wedding contract).
Please check with Cantor Metzger to schedule this important event. We look forward to working with you on the planning of your joyous event.
Any bridal couples who choose to have Cantor Metzger officiate at their wedding now have the option of renting a beautiful, free-standing chuppa for their ceremonies. This chuppa (or wedding canopy) is composed of four aluminum, gold-plated poles which can be height adjusted from 6-10 feet high, with a beautiful, large blue and white tallit, and is set in gold plated bases. The chuppa is available on a first come-first served basis for a small extra fee. Most rental agencies charge between $500-3000 for a chuppa. This chuppa is available for rental in the New England area for a small fee of $200. NO SYNAGOGUES OR LOCAL JUDAICA SHOPS OFFER THIS SERVICE IN ALL OF NEW ENGLAND. Call Jewish Lifecycles Unlimited at 603 224-9060, and speak to Cantor Metzger to discuss this option.
To check out other wedding sites and services available in New Hampshire contact nhweddings.com at nhweddings.com
Funerals/Memorial Services
It is a mitzvah to bury the dead with all due respect. The Rabbis taught that there are ten mitzvot for which a person would enjoy eternal reward; among these is attending to the dead.
The mitzvah of burying the dead is the responsibility of a person´s children or spouse. In cases where there are no children or spouse, it is the responsibility of the nearest relative.
Funeral services and burial should not be delayed needlessly. Tradition teaches that we should bury within a day after death. For us today, the principle is to conduct the funeral and burial as soon as is practical but without undue haste. Cantor Metzger should be notified as soon as the death occurs, and consulted about the time of the service. Funeral services are not held on Sabbaths and major festivals.
Simplicity and dignity are the governing principles for funeral arrangements. A funeral should never become an occasion for display. It is preferable to use a simple wooden coffin.
The proper places for funeral or memorial services are the home of the deceased, the graveside, a funeral home, cemetery chapel, or synagogue.
NetKin is an internet community where family and friends can find comfort and solace during and after the death of a loved one. They offer online commemorative memorial programs where loved ones around the world can go to remember a special life. Please click on the icon below to access Netkin's webpage.
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